Smile
by Tamzy1392
Summary: [GaaSaku] Sakura meets Gaara, they become friends, but Sakura's parents stop her from meeting him. What will she do? What will happen to Gaara? Story's better than summary, so R&R pls! c:
1. Chapter 1

"I'm going to the playground, mom!"

"Okay, but come back after 25 minutes."

"Deal!"

Sakura, a little pink-haired girl around 7 cheerfully hopped out of the park to the playground. It was summer and although it was hot, it's kind of windy in the village of sand. Sakura's parents brought her with them on vacation so maybe she'll be able to make **some** or even **a friend**. Not like in Konoha, just because of her **wide forehead**, it's as if being lonely is her fate.

Sakura herself is longing for that goal to be achieved.

"Sakura!" Mrs. Haruno yelled after Sakura. "Don't go near **Subaku no Gaara**, okay?"

"Ugh… Okay!" Sakura yelled back to her mother, not sure who or what "Subaku no Gaara" is. She waved her hand to her mother and continued her hop to the playground.

The playground is just near the park. Sakura saw the bench first of all and went to sit on it. There are a lot of children there, all happy and loud, holding dead branches playing like they're swordsmen.

She decided to wait for a perfect moment to start her plan. _Okay, so I wait here and when someone notices me, I'll just smile at that someone. I hope he or she won't notice my forehead. Well, good luck, Sakura!_ She thought to herself as a plan, but something made her wonder.

_Who is that boy? _She thought sadly, looking at a boy sitting on the sandbox alone and still. The sight of him made Sakura feel so bad that she wanted to comfort him. He looked like he wasn't alive. _Why isn't he playing with the others?_

Suddenly, the children with the sticks called back Sakura's attention.

"Hey! Look at that girl with the wide forehead!" The boy with the longest branch, who seemed to be the leader announced loudly.

Hearing this, Sakura felt angry and sad. She felt as if her worst nightmare is happening in reality. She felt her eyes burning and then she burst into tears. She needed to cry, she wanted to be alone, she wanted to run away, but she was too confused, the only thing she could do was burry her face in her hands.

"Hahaha! Look at her crying her eyes out!" The boy leader exclaimed. Everyone wanted to laugh out loud but they were still able to control it. "Boohoo, look at me, my forehead is so wide!" Another boy with a cape teased in a mocking tone. "It doesn't even fit in my hands!" This time, the children can't control it any longer, they fell off their feet and laughed out loud.

"Hey, stop that."

The command made everyone stop laughing. They looked for the source of the command and then gasped. "I-It, It's **him**!" A girl finally managed to spill out after a long silence. The children ran out of the playground after the remark, as if they were being chased by a wild dog.

Sakura was taken aback by what just happened. _Why did they run off? _She asked herself as she wiped her tears on her sleeves. _I'm not so sure about this, but I have to thank that boy._ She walked toward the boy hesitantly.

"Uhm… Thanks a lot." Sakura told the boy with a small smile when she was a foot away from him. She wasn't sure if she has to say that, because she knows that he might be like the other kids.

The boy just looked at Sakura, surprised. He stared at her as if she was glowing. _Is she talking to me?_ He asked to himself.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, and later realized why he stared like this. "Oh, you're thinking about my forehead, aren't you? Thinking that those kids were right about it, aren't you!" Sakura's eyes felt warm and suddenly wet. "You think it's funny! Go ahead and laugh! I'm used to it anyway!" Her emotions made her furious and her tears finally made their way to her soft cheeks.

"N-No! I-It's not that…" The boy managed to speak out trying to calm the little girl. Putting all his effort in it. He was too nervous of what's going to happen next, she might run off like everybody else, and leave him alone, again. But he didn't want that to happen.

"Then… What is it?" Sakura hushed her whimpers a little.

"It's just that…" He looked at his sides and his surroundings, as if looking for something. "A-Are you talking to me?"

This made Sakura giggle and she wiped her tears on her sleeves again. "Of, course you silly! There's nobody else here!" She answered laughing softly.

"Oh…So…You're not scared of me?"

"Nope. Why should I be?"

The boy's eyebrows rose unwillingly. "B-Because I'm Suba-"

"Oh no!" Sakura suddenly gasped out, interrupting the boy's explanation. "It's already been 37 minutes! Mom's really going to be mad!"

"Huh?" The boy scratched his forehead.

"I have to go!"

Sakura hastily offered her hand to the boy, and he hesitantly accepted it. _Wow, this feels nice. It's soft and warm. _The boy thought. The girl pulled back her arm, so the boy released it, but unwillingly.

"Thanks again from before! Bye! See ya!"

"Ugh… Bye…"

"I really have to hurry." She looked at him and she wanted him to smile. "You're really nice! I really want to play with you but I don't have much time…" _He's still not smiling… What should I do? Darn, I have to run!_ So she did, leaving the boy behind. "Oh, yeah! You have the nicest eyes I've ever seen!" She stopped and yelled at the boy, waving her hand cheerfully. She ran off again and looked back. She saw a curve at the end of the boy's mouth, which seemed to be a smile.

When she reached the park and received her mother's lectures about being late, she thought of the boy. _This is the happiest day I've ever spent in my life! _She spread her arms and feet on the grassy floor and looked at the clouds. She could finally stop having nightmares because she has found someone who can be her friend. But, something made her gasp and suddenly stand up.

"I forgot to ask his name!"

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**aN:** hello there! this is my very first oneshot! but if you want me to continue this story please tell me and i'll continue it gladly... hehe! i really like gaara... so **_RxR_**


	2. Hello

**Chapter 2 - Hello**

**-**_Sakura forgot to ask her first friend's name! Read further to know if she'll finally be able to ask his name!_

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Sakura panicked because she forgot to ask the only person she thought would be her friend's name.

"What's wrong with you, Sakura?" Said her mom while watching her moving around restlessly. "You've been like that since we left the park yesterday."

"Your mom is right. It seems you're troubled." Sakura's father added while his face was covered with the newspaper he is reading.

"Mom, dad, guess what happened yesterday while I was at the playground."

"Hmm…Lessee..." Sakura's mother acted like she was thinking really hard. 'I guess her plan was a success, huh?' "Did you-"

"Yes!" Sakura interrupted excitingly. Expecting her mother to know the truth. "Yes mom! I finally found someone so nice! Someone who didn't mind my wide forehead! Someone with the nicest eyes I've ever seen…" She explained expressively with hand gestures. She thought of the boy dreamily, hoping she would be able to see him again before going back home with twinkling green eyes. "Mom, I want to see those eyes again. Please let me go to the playground, please?" She pleaded kneeling in front of her mother, while she was packing their stuff. Mr. and Mrs. Haruno planned to travel home after dinner.

"Well… Alright, I'll let you go."

"Yaay!"

"But!" Mrs. Haruno raised her hand as Sakura tumbled to the door.

"But what?" Sakura hastily asked. 'Oh, not another curfew, I hope!' She mumbled to herself.

"I heard that clearly, and yes, another curfew. You'll have to get back right before dinner." Mrs. Haruno smiled as she saw a frown on Sakura's face in the corner of her eye. "And not only that." 'Thud'. She looked back at the source of the loud sound and saw Sakura, and realized she bumped her head on the table. "You'll have to tell us who this boy is."

Sakura recovered into her sitting position with her shiny hands, clasping her hands together. "He is a perfect friend, mom. He has eyes paler that the sky and his hair is crimson red." She noticed her mother twitch and look at her father, who also seemed to have twitched. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, ugh, n-nothing dear. Why don't you continue?" Her father stuttered. _'I hope it isn't the boy I have in mind.'_

"Well… I haven't asked his name yet, though. Which is why I was so restless, and until now. But he has black circles around both of his eyes, you know! And he looks like a panda!" Sakura giggled.

Her father put down his newspaper and cleared his throat. "Well, that's very god. I'm proud you finally found a friend, Sakura. But be careful, do your best to make it last."

"Yup! I'll do my best! And don't worry; I'm sure he won't bite." She giggled again.

Sakura immediately grabbed her sandals by the door and wore them. "Bye!" She shouted as she opened the door and went outside. It seems she was too anxious that she forgot to close it.

"Mrs. Haruno sighed and went to the door to close it. "I guess we shouldn't stop her for now." She said as she walked back to the room to get back on packing.

"You're right. Also, we're still not sure if that boy she spoke of is Subaku no Gaara." He remarked, staring outside the window, sitting still. "I guess it can't be helped." He sighed after a long silence and stood up, heading to the door.

"Where are you going?"

Mr. Haruno stopped and grabbed his boots. "Just in case it is that boy…" He said while fitting in his boots. "I must follow Sakura."

Mrs. Haruno stared at her husband as he opened the door, went outside and closed the door. _'Sheesh…' _She let out a sigh and continued her packing.

* * *

'_The sky is really nice today.'_ She giggled softly, as she heaved while running to the playground. She was so happy on having a chance to see him again. _'I hope he's at the playground right now. And I'll certainly ask his name this time.'_

She passed through houses and stores, and each moment she felt uneasy. _'There's_ _something wrong… It's like someone is following me.'_ She halted and looked around her. Shrugging the feeling off her mind, she started running again. _'I'm almost there. There's no time to loose. There are 3 hours before dinner. I don't want to waste that precious and short time I can use with my friend.'_

She hesitantly went in the playground and hoping he was there, she looked at the sandbox first of all. But he wasn't there. _'Oh…? Well… Maybe he's at the seesaw.'_ She ran to the seesaw but still no one was there. She searched the slide, he wasn't there. She ran around searching for him but with no such luck. She started feeling sad and her eyes felt hot.

"This can't be happening… He should be here! He… He was my _only one chance_ to finally have someone to _hold hands with_…" She murmured as she sat on the swing, not giving a thought about how fast her tears ran through her cheeks. "I was too late…" She began to let out whimpers. Then she started letting out sounds like hiccups. She imagined the long years which seemed like millions ahead of her, before finding another friend. She thought of being locked in the darkness with her wide forehead ruling the place. As she looked up at the sky, she was startled to see a glint of gold.

"Sand?" She spoke out after a sniff, trying to stop her hiccups. The sand seemed to be floating on air right in front of her. "Huh?" She observed it, staring at it and thought it was taking form. Her hiccups completely stopped. She continued watching it take form and seconds later, she let out a soft gasp. The hardened sand settled on the ground. Sakura jumped off the swing and picked it up. "This is…" Her eyes widened in amusement, still red from crying. "A cherry blossom!" She held the blossom gently, afraid it might break into powder.

"Hello."

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**AN:** _hi! thanks for the reviews! it's kinda hard continuing this story, I intended to keep this story as a one shot but it seems I must continue. Thanks to those people who read my first story! Chapter 3 is in the making. God bless us all! _

**_RxR please!_ and thanks!**


	3. Pebble

Sakura was startled and turned her head around. She gasped and felt her eyes wet again. "I-It's you!" She was so relieved and so happy. "I was really looking for you…and I'm so happy you're here now…" She spoke softly as she was wiping her tears away with her hand, while holding the cherry blossom with the other tightly. "I thought you'd be here so I came."

"So did I…" The boy was hoping he'd find her here. "I entered through the exit and heard someone sniffing. I followed the sound and was so happy to find out that it was you. But then I was sad because you were crying." He looked at his creation in the girl's little hands. "I really liked your hair that I couldn't forget about it, since you left I started thinking about other pink things. Then I saw a painting of my sister beside a big tree with pink leaves." He's really trying to cheer the girl up. He sat on a swing beside her and looked at the ground. "So I asked her what kind of tree it was, and she said it was a Sakura Tree."

"My name is Sakura."

The girl said it so instantly, eyes beaming from tears and offering him a handshake that the boy couldn't say anything. He didn't expect this, despite her pink hair; her name was also from a Sakura Tree. He shrugged the thought off him and gladly took her hand and shook it. "Wow." Sakura's hands were so soft and warm, that he didn't want to let go of it. "I-I'm Gaara."

"Gaara?" Sakura had a feeling that she heard that name before. "I'ts really super duper nice to be your friend Gaara-kun! Wait, can I be your friend?" Looking directly to Gaara's shiny eyes, hoping he would accept.

Gaara felt like the happiest and luckiest little boy in the world. "You already are!"

They played together and wished that time would stop. Sakura learned that he can control sand, and as long as it's there, he can do anything. Gaara learned that she has never had a friend because of her wide forehead, and that she lives in Konoha, she's only in a vacation in the Sand Village. They decided to make an oath so that they won't forget about each other no matter what happens.

"Gaara-kun, I solemnly swear that I will remember this day forever until I die, and that I will keep this cherry blossom sand and protect it with my life, treating it like it's you, my best friend."

"I solemnly swear that I will never forget our friendship and this wonderful day we made together, and that I will keep this….oh….ugh, I don't have anything to keep…" Gaara scratched his head.

"Oh! Right! Sorry, wait a second." She searched for a pebble in her pocket. "Here it is!" She exclaimed holding out a pebble with a chinese word "ai" engraved on it. "I was very excited to see you again that I made this for you last night." She explained hurriedly, her cheeks were on fire, it was almost as red as her dress.

"Thanks! I really like it, and I swear that I will keep this pebble and protect it with my life, and protect it like it is my first and last best friend Sakura-chan." He looked down to the ground, also blushing.

They both chuckled and while there was still time, they played and talked about their selves at the same time.

Sakura became curious of why this gentle soul doesn't have friends. "Uhm, Gaara-kun, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, I was wondering. You're so nice and all, but why don't you have any friends?" After her statement, she felt as if she was being watched again.

Gaara sat down on the ground and exhaled a big amount of air, then he lied down with his hands as the pillow. Sakura did the same. They both looked at the sky. The sun was already setting.

"Ever since I could remember, everyone avoided me. Even my family doesn't acknowledge me. Then they told me that I have a monster inside me."

The bushes at Sakura's right stirred, though there was no wind. She didn't mind this thinking it's just a cat or something.

"What's wrong with that? As long as you don't hurt them, right? They don't have to be so mean. You know, there's also a kid like you at our village. His is a nine tailed fox. What's yours?"

"They told me not to sleep because if I will, it might overpower me and come out, and that's why I have these big eye bags." Sakura giggled.

"The monster is Shukaku."

"Sakura!"

To be continued…


	4. Not Over Yet

**The Wind Blew Everything Away

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tamzy(author)- ok, this chapter is sad for me. i dunno if it will work for you, but i'm sure you'll feel even just a bit moved. If not then you're not human! just kidding. Enjoy!**

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**Hopeless**

* * *

Sakura woke up with a headache, and a tummy ache. As she lay on the floor very dazed, she tried to remember what has happened.

_Mr. Haruno suddenly jumped out of a bush, grabbing her wrists roughly. She heard herself shouting, "Gaara-kun! I'm sorry! GAARA-KUN!", then heard Gaara crying, "Sakura-chan! Please don't leave me!"_

_Then she felt like a very big stone had hit her stomach, her eyes felt stingy with tears. Then everything slowly became quiet...and everything went black._

As Sakura sat up, she noticed that she was in her room. Her door opened and Mr. Haruno came in.

"I warned you not to get close that _monster_!"

"But papa! I did not know it was him! And he is _not a monster!_"

"_Quiet_! I thought we could trust you! Your mother is crying uncontrollably outside! What? Do you want to give her a heart attack!"

"But he's very kind papa! He's not a_ monster_! He's just like Naruto, he's just as nice!"

Mr. Haruno winced as Sakura spoke out Naruto's name loudly. (Poor Naruto!) "I told you to be quiet! I don't care if he's nice, but I care for you. Never again disobey us or I'll have to disown you as my child."

Sakura felt like she was hit by that same stone again, only bigger and it felt like she was squashed. _They won't even allow me to have a friend! I thought they were happy for me!_ "But papa, you told me once when I was still very little that '_even the most monstrous lion can be a friend'!_" (That saying took me more than a minute to make up. Phew!) "You told me that papa! And Gaara-kun is not even a _monster_! Look at this, he even gave me a remembrance…he's very sweet papa and-"

"You are grounded." Mr. Haruno's voice was so unsympathetic that Sakura shivered as he said this, she hasn't heard her papa speak with that manner ever. "We are departing this village tomorrow, first thing in the morning by train." (Was there a train?) At this, he glared at the cherry blossom-like sand and grabbed it from Sakura. He squeezed it with his right hand. Sakura was reaching out for the precious sand, she was about to cry. But it wouldn't crumble, so Mr. Haruno tried again with ten fingers. Even just one grain of sand won't budge. He and Sakura winced. Then he turned very red and his veins seemed to surface from his skin. He threw the piece of sand out through the window.

"NO!" Sakura instantly stood up, jumped and tried to catch the sand, but she was too late.

Mr. Haruno heaved and glared at the window. The sun was almost gone. He could already see the pale moon. He looked at his Sakura crouched on the floor under the window crying. He turned his back to face the door. As he touched the door knob, his face relaxed and turned into a sad expression with closed eyes. He sighed quietly and opened the door.

When Sakura heard the door close, she lifted her head and faced the sunset. _'He was my only friend…and they took him away from me…even the only remembrance I had from him...why are they so inconsiderate! I was only trying to be happy…and I don't want to leave yet! No way!_

"I have to find that cherry blossom sand. Then I'll…_runaway._ "

* * *

**Monster**

* * *

'_I'm a monster. I am fearless. I am strong. I am angry. I am…rejected.'_

Gaara said these phrases to himself over and over. He was sitting on his knees holding a pebble with 'love' engraved on it. He stared blankly on the pebble. (If I were the pebble I was probably melting.)

'_What is love? I don't understand…And what is this mere pebble doing on my palm?' _He looked up at the almost black sky. '_Why do I feel like I am rejected?'_ (Ok, for those who haven't realized it yet, Gaara was overcome by his anger and depression that he forgot the moments with Sakura, actually he forgot who's Sakura. But he has this feeling that something was terribly missing.)

Though he doesn't remember anything, he felt like there was something more to that pebble. So he kept it in his pocket and felt the smooth bump on his right thigh.

"There you are you little rascal."

Gaara turned and looked up at a sand colored hair girl. Her eyes looked kind but to Gaara, he saw only fear. '_Of course. Even my family hates me…'_

"I was looking all over for you!" Temari was trying to be sheerful, but Gaara can see her lips tremble. "The Kazekage wants to talk to you…"

"What does he want?"

"He wants to talk about you're future. I think he's going to talk about starting your training." Temari was serious now.

"Fine." Gaara walked out of the park, leaving Temari alone.

'_Was that 'love' on his forehead?'

* * *

_

As Gaara closed the door of his father's office behind him, he stared at the wall in front of him and looked back at their conversation just a moment ago:

"_You will start your training tomorrow. You must learn how to be a lethal assassin." The Kazekage looked at Gaara and cupped his son's chin. He lifted it up a little and looked at Gaara's eyes. 'I see anger and sadness in his eyes. Perfect for an assassin.…' Then he looked at the fresh scar on his son's forehead, it say's 'love'. When he released his son, he told Gaara, "You may leave. Prepare for your first training tomorrow before breakfast."_

_Gaara looked at his father, wondering why before breakfast._

"_Surviving hunger will be part of your training. Now, go home."

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**tamzy-**did ya like it? I f u hav suggestions, i'll feel better if you submit it with your reviews, please send some so I can improve the next chapter. Thanks for reading! Take care!_

Oo


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